Thread-cutter



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES N. DODGE, OF SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS.

TH READ-CUTTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 439,488, dated October28,1890.

Application filed April 2, 1890. Serial No. 346,347- (No model.)

The object of my invention is to provide a cheap and eifectivethread-cutter, designed for insertion in spools, which is capable ofbeing inclosed within the spool when not required for use and of beingpartially withdrawn therefrom when its use is desired, whereby economyof space is secured and catch-points prevented.

To this end the invention consists in a thread-cutter of a certain novelconstruction and contour, substantially as hereinafter described, andparticularly set forth in the subjoined claims.

Referring to the drawings, A designates an ordinary spool on which silkand thread are wound for sale and convenient use; B, the

center hole thereof, and O the thread-cutter, which is made of a singlepiece of elastic or springy metal, bent to form the curved knife D atits upper end, the vertical parta extending downward from one end ofsaid curved knife, the bottom part b curved in an opposite direction tothat of said knife D and of the same or substantially the same diameteras said knife, the part 0 extending from said curved bottom part upwardtoward the free end of said knife in an inclined direction andterminating short of and out of horizontal plane with the same, thecurved part (1 extending inward from the upper end of said part c, andthe part 6 inclining inward and downward toward said part c from theinner end of said curved part d, all as shown in Fig. 1.

The method of use is as follows: The threadcutter being inserted intothe center hole 13, its parts a 0 will. act as a spring and impinge withsuch force upon the walls of said hole as to hold the cutter firmly,whether the same is partially withdrawn to cut off the thread or locatedentirely within the spool, and to resist the pull of the thread whenexcision takes placea It is obvious that the diameter of the knife D andbottom partb is the same as that of the hole 13 of the spool. The objectin in clining the part c outward is to increase its impinging force onthe walls of the spool, and the parts cl and 6 also act to give itgreater impinging power. When inserted in the spool it is vertical andparallel with the part a, which is in contact with the opposite wall ofthe hole B, as shown in Fig. 2.

I do not Wish to be understood as claiming, broadly, a thread-cutter foruse in connection with spools having a spring part for insertion withand impinging against the walls of the hole thereof, as I am aware thatsuch threadcutters have been heretofore constructed; but none of thethread-cutters heretofore constructed have been capable of beingentirely inclosed within the spool when its use is not desired andpartially withdrawn therefrom for use, the advantages of whichconstruction are above set forth.

Having now described myinvention, what I believe to be new, and desireto secure by Letters Patent, is--- 1. As an improved article ofmanufacture, a thread-cutter capable of complete insertion within thehole in a spool, and also of partial withdrawal therefrom, constructedof a single piece of elastic metal and having side parts for impingingagainst the walls of the opening in a spool, and a knife extending fromthe upper end of one of said side parts toward the upper end of theother and of such size as to pass within said opening in the spool.

2. As an improved article of manufacture, a thread-cutter capable ofcomplete insertion within the hole in a spool, and also of partialwithdrawal therefrom, constructed of a single piece of elastic metal andhaving a knife at its upper end, a vertical part ext-ending downwardfrom one side thereof, a bottom part, and a part extending upward in anoutwardly-inclined direction from one end of said bottom toward the freeend of said knife, said bottom part and knife being of a size to becapable of passing within the hole in a spool.

3. As an improved article of manufacture, the herein-describedthread-cutter capable of complete insertion Within the hole in a spool,ward toward said part c, all substantially as and also of partialWithdrawal therefrom, shown and described. made of a single piece ofspring metal and comprising the curved knife D, vertical part JAMES N.DODGE. 5 a, curved bottom part b, upwardly-extending \Vitnesses:

outwardly-inclined. part c, inwardly-extend- W. F. ADAMS,

in g curved part d, and part e, inclining down- F. A. NICKERSON.

